


Surrendering

by Joana789



Category: The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Angst, Forgive Me, Implied Relationships, M/M, Nico is swearing, because jasico here is more implied and, i don' t even know anymore, it's just boys being weird, jason is perfect and kind of in love too even though he doesn't know this yet, kind of, nico is angry and in love, the whole thing is rather messy, what am I even doing here, what's up with this title, why is he so angry all the time
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-12
Updated: 2014-08-12
Packaged: 2018-02-12 21:12:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2124855
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Joana789/pseuds/Joana789
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jason is a stubborn jerk. Nico knows that but talks to him anyway, hoping that the son of Zeus will leave him alone, eventually.<br/>He's so wrong.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Surrendering

**Author's Note:**

> As usual, I remind y'all that english is not my native language and the story may have some mistakes. If you find any, you can always let me know. This thing was supposed to be just a simple english practice but I hope no one will hurt me, if I post it anyway. Many similar pieces have been already written but whatever.  
> Oh, and Nico is swearing a bit, as i wrote in the tags. You have been warned.  
> [angstandcats.tumblr.com]

It was so much harder there.

Nico knew it. He knew it with his heart and soul, he felt it in his bones and in blood circulating in these veins of his like a poison. He couldn’t really do anything about being who he was, couldn’t help it. He _was_ a child of Hades, after all and will always be one, whether he liked it or not

So why, for all the gods’ sake, Jason Grace was the only person who couldn’t get it?

 He found him, somehow – which was impressive but Nico couldn’t appreciate it properly for some reason. Jason Grace dared to appear again, right in front of him, with his blue, bright eyes, gold hair and wide, cheeky smile and when Nico realised that it was actually him, of all people, he had to suppress the sudden need to hit something.

And then Jason started to talk. At first Nico wanted to ignore it, just like he always did because he already knew that Jason liked to talk and liked to care, even if nobody asked him to. He was the perfect one, there was no doubt. He also had a beautiful, brave girlfriend, a genius pal and a bunch of friends.

He didn’t need someone like Nico di Angelo.

So he told him that, interrupting this shit Jason was saying. Grace looked a bit surprised but not offended – he would never be offended, would he? He frowned, obviously thinking about something and Nico waited, even though everything he wanted at that point was to vanish.

He stayed, though. It was tempting, to shadow travel and leave this blessed, too-good-to-be-alive, golden boy behind, but Nico knew that the very same boy would find him again, sooner or later. And the Ghost King wanted to deal with him as fast as possible.

“Do you really think I don’t need you, Nico?” Jason finally said. There was something strange in the way he said his name.

“I do”, he answered shortly, a hint of anger audible in his voice “Go back to your camp and your friends and just leave me alone, will you?”

Jason was silent for another couple of seconds.

“They are your friends as well,  you know”

Nico almost smiled, but his lips seemed not to remember how to do this anymore so he only managed to wince.

“Yeah, especially Percy” he hissed as he rolled his eyes.

It was supposed to be sarcastic but deep inside it also hurt. Just a bit.

“Percy misses you, too. We all do, Nico. I came here to ask you to come back with me.”

“I figured that, thank you.”

But Jason Grace had always been a stubborn jerk and Nico realised that when he caught a glimpse of the boy’s face – the muscles of his jaw tense, eyes bright , arms crossed. Something in his posture reminded Nico of Zeus himself and he suddenly felt his heartbeat rising.

“I’m dangerous, you know?” he said but, in fact, he had never felt more miserable – this thought struck him like a lightning, which was pretty relevant “You don’t want me near you. It’s better for you not to be close.”

Jason snorted.

“Since when do you care about other people so much?” he asked, quite annoyed, then sighed and rubbed his temples, trying to calm down or maybe regretting the words he said. “I know you are. But you are even more lonely, don’t try to deny it, Nico”

Nico flinched.

He was.

He wouldn’t deny it. The whole past year was lonely – a year spent in the cold walls of his father’s palace, among the dead, never seeing the sun. Persephone had always been a pain in the ass but never as much as during these recent months;  Hades never cared about him much and this time wasn’t any different – the boy couldn’t even feel disappointment anymore . Nico realised that he, being alive – even though he shouldn’t live – didn’t belong with the dead in the Underworld.

But he didn’t belong with the other demigods, either.

Jason didn’t seem to get it, though. He was all shiny, perfect and ready to help, while Nico had always been the opposite – the Ghost King, this weird, freaky kid with too-pale skin and black, gloomy clothes.

He still didn’t believe that Hazel could really be around him without any mental damage or something.

“Nico?”

Startled to hear Jason’s concerned voice, he almost jumped and then looked at him, feeling ridiculous.

“Go away, Grace” he mumbled.

“Only if you go with me”

And then, right in front him, he surrendered.

 

 

It wasn’t a good decision, though.

Hiding in his cabin, he realised it now– everyone was outside, celebrating somebody’s birthday. Nico didn’t even know the name of this person but he didn’t bother, being aware of the fact that it didn’t matter anyway.

He will be out of here in a minute.

His cabin was dark, full of shadows – the only source of light was the great fire burning out there. Nico was sitting on his bed, pointlessly staring at the wall. He could hear the screams and laughs coming from outside, could imagine the heat of the fire and the smell of food.

He grit his teeth as he swallowed the urge to scream.

They didn’t want him there. Didn’t _need_ him. What was he even thinking – that someone would actually need the son of Hades? There was never such a person, maybe except Bianca or Hazel, but Hazel had Frank now.

Gods, he was so stupid.

It wasn’t even about the looks people gave him anymore – he was completely used to that. Kids in the camp were wary of him, especially the younger ones but it didn’t really matter. He didn’t care anyway.

What was the issue, though, was the happy picture he saw in front of himself as he came back - when he saw Percy and Annabeth again. After Jason dragged him here, they all seemed to be happy to see him, everyone smiling. Percy ruffled his hair and Nico heard his laugh. Something hurt in his chest.

He was over him. He really was, without a second thought. But there was _something_ that Nico doubted will ever fade away – Percy was his first love after all. He had Annabeth and was happy and Nico knew that, but…

…he couldn’t be just friends with him. Not yet, at least.

Besides, when he saw them, so in love and delighted, he understood something else.

After all the things Jason had done for him, Nico started to get attached and that should’ve rung a bell because getting attached was never a good thing. He was aware of that with all his might. However, when he heard that Jason and Piper broke up for some reason, he couldn’t bring himself to be sad about it.

And maybe he started to imagine things because of that.

Chances were it was an outcome of him being alone for so long. He was a human after all – and that meant he sometimes needed someone to talk to, even though he’d never admit it. Apparently, Jason was that person – he was a good listener, although Nico didn’t talk much. He also had an ability of saying the things that were actually helpful and, soon enough, Nico discovered himself cherishing that.They started to spend more and more time together – talking, teasing, sometimes fighting but mostly just _being_.

A silly boy, Nico started to fall for him.

He knew it couldn’t last – Jason was just simply nice to him, nothing more. There was no such a possibility that someone like Grace could admire someone like Nico di Angelo. He was also aware of the fear spreading in his body day after day – that Jason will found out and reject him.

To prevent that, Nico decided to leave, knowing that Jason will find out eventually.

Son of Hades was ready to go – all he had to do was shadow travel. But now, as he heard the laughs coming from outside, his abilities narrowed to staring blankly at the wall. The truth was, even though he never really liked the camp, it was still slightly better than the Underworld.

There was no doubt his father would let him live in the palace again – he had done that before, because Nico was strong, useful and did pretty much everything Hades wanted him to. Hopefully…

“Nico?”

The door creaked as someone opened it. A beam of light nearly forced its way into the cabin.

Nico lifted his head and saw the person, who came in.

Jason Grace.

Oh, he was so fucking lucky.

“Why aren’t you outside, Nico?” son of Zeus asked, sounding more amused than surprised.

Nico bit his lip.

“I don’t know if you noticed but I’m not really an outgoing person” he said.

There was something wrong with his voice and Jason seemed to realise this, too.

“Did something happen?”

Gods, why did he have to be so nice all the time?

“No. Go back to your friends, I want to be alone”

“Hey, don’t lie to me, di Angelo” Jason said in a warning tone “You know I can see that”

Nico frowned.

“Then don’t ask me stupid questions, Grace”

Jason sat on his bed, pretty close to him, which would be nice if Nico could feel something more than just sheer bitterness. He forced himself to look anywhere but on Jason’s face, gritting his teeth and clenching the sheets.

“I’m leaving, Jason”

The words were silent and slow, almost too silent to be heard.

“What? What are you talking about?”

Nico sighted, assuming that it didn’t really matter now – if Jason gets to find out now or tomorrow morning, when they’ll see that his cabin is empty.

“Bringing me here wasn’t a good idea” he said, sounding defeated and when Jason heard that, he winced.

“I wouldn’t say that” he denied. “I won’t let you run away again, Nico, not after…”

“I’m not running away” he said a bit louder “I’m leaving and I’m telling you about it. This is something different.”

Jason didn’t oppose.

There were two or three minutes of silence – they made Nico realise he enjoyed Jason’s presence more than he should – way more. The only things he could hear were the sounds of them breathing and quiet, muffled shouts and laughs coming from the birthday party.

Jason should be out there – but instead he was sitting here, with Nico, in this depressing darkness.

It wasn’t right, not for him.

So Nico moved, standing up. He looked at Grace, ready to shadow travel somewhere far away – maybe to Italy in order to calm down a little – when he felt Jason’s grip at his wrist.

“Why are you doing this?” Jason asked suddenly. His voice was a mix of anger, sorrow and something else, something Nico had never heard before.

“What’s your problem, Jason?”

“What’s _your_ problem? It’s not me who’s pushing everyone away! Why are you leaving all of sudden, again?”

“I told you-“

“Bullshit” Jason interrupted, sounding more serious than ever “I want the truth and I won’t let you leave until I hear it.”

Nico snorted – that was most likely the first time he had ever heard the great Jason Grace swearing.

“You won’t let me leave anyway”

“You don’t know that”

Being a silly person, Nico looked at Jason, gritting his teeth. The blue eyes challenged him, they wanted him to accept the bet.

It wasn’t a good idea – especially since he had already convinced himself that the decision he made was right. Jason was important, maybe more than anyone, even more than Hazel or Percy. But he shouldn’t know the truth. It would ruin everything.       

Even though he was aware of all these things, something in Jason’s eyes made his blood boil. He wasn’t exactly sure why, though.

And, being a silly person, Nico di Angelo accepted the challenge.


End file.
